Legislation filed to better regulate noise in unincorporated Harris County

Posted by Leigh Evans on March 23, 2015

Community Impact News, March 18 - Law enforcement officials in Harris County could have additional tools to address noise pollution if a new law is passed by the Legislature this session.

State Rep. Patricia Harless, R-Spring, filed House Bill 153 in November after hearing numerous complaints from constituents about music and noise in her district. In particular, noise from the Something Wicked Festival at Sam Houston Race Park in late October generated multiple concerns from nearby residents.

“The bass and the music was very loud,” Harless said. “It was on a Saturday night and Sunday night until 2 in the morning. I was getting literally hundreds of calls [from] as far as Huntwick [Forest].”

Unlike the city of Houston and other municipalities, Harris County does not have the power to pass ordinances. Instead, county governments in Texas can only pass regulations that have first been approved by the state Legislature. Therefore, the county can only rely on the state’s noise ordinance to police noisy disruptions.